Youtubers trick Carole Baskin into giving first on-camera interview since ‘Tiger King’

TAMPA (WFLA) — A pair of YouTube creators appear to have tricked Big Cat Rescue CEO Carole Baskin into giving her first on-camera interview since Netflix’s airing of ‘Tiger King.’

Josh Pieters and Archie Manners’ elaborate scheme to reel in one of the most sought-after interviews in America included convincing Baskin she was being interviewed on Jimmy Fallon.

The pair disguised themselves as operators of a production company working as a liaison with “The Tonight Show” to coordinate the remote interview.

The YouTubers said they browsed through hours of previously aired Jimmy Fallon clips to save old questions, replies and reactions from the talk show host to make the fake interview seem as real as possible. They would then just click play on a saved reply or reaction during the interview at the appropriate time. They told Baskin that Fallon couldn’t be on the web camera because he was being recorded live in his house for TV.

The interview was a tad awkward because the pre-recorded Fallon reactions weren’t seamless, but it apparently wasn’t awkward enough for Baskin to notice. Conversations over computers are happening at a wide scale during the coronavirus pandemic, and lag and connection issues are common.

Baskin was a good sport when she found out the interview was fake, according to “Us Magazine.”

“I was suspicious as we were doing it because the questions appeared taped,” Baskin said. “But had no idea it would turn out to be such a fun prank. It gave us a very welcome good laugh. I appreciate their cleverness and that they created their video in a way that I don’t feel was in any way mean-spirited.”